Defence CS Aden Duale and his Environment counterpart Soipan Tuya led Kenya Defence Forces officers at Embakasi Garrison, in a tree planting exercise.
During the exercise, the troops planted over 30,000 trees in targeted spaces within the garrison.
The tree planting was also done in all KDF installations across the country.
The soldiers and officers from all units of the KDF participated in planting trees and engaging in educational sessions about the importance of environmental stewardship.
The exercise is part of the broader National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Program that aligns with President William Ruto's target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
The Ministry of Defence, to fulfil this, has dedicated every fourth Wednesday of the month to tree-growing activities.
"The Ministry of Defence is not only reaffirming its commitment to national security but also to environmental conservation and sustainable development," the ministry said.
The ministry further said the presence of CS Tuya at Embakasi Garrison underscored the vital intersection between environmental health and national security.
The two CSs highlighted the critical role that the KDF plays in national development initiatives beyond their conventional duties.
They also touched on the need to combat the adverse effects of Climate Change that stands as a threat to National and Regional Security.
A few weeks ago, each Ministry was assigned counties where they would ensure tree planting exercises are conducted monthly.
While receiving a strategy report on tree growing by KDF, Duale said that the Kenya Defence Forces would plant at least 2.8 million trees in Nakuru and Isiolo counties.
Last year, President William Ruto launched the National Tree Growing Day on November 13, 2023.
It marked Kenya’s commitment to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 with a key aim to restore 10.6 million hectares of forest.
